Mark Robins has already started planning for next season as Coventry City prepare for their relegation to League Two to be confirmed.

The Sky Blues’ fate is likely to be concluded tomorrow afternoon when they have to beat Charlton Athletic and rely on other teams to slip up to delay the inevitable for another few days.

And the City boss is already looking at how best he can strengthen his squad to mount a swift return to the third tier.

“We’re working really hard and we’ll be working all summer, I imagine,” said the manager, who this week appointed a new head of recruitment to the club in Tommy Widdrington.

“Tommy is heading up a recruitment department and it is eyes on players. It is in place for the football club, to span the length of time with information which is not just subjective.”

As for the club’s imminent relegation, he said: “It won’t be a shock to anyone, everyone hoped for the best and feared the worst. That is still the case.

Tommy Widdrington

“It is out of our hands now because we lost to Sheffield United. We acquitted ourselves well, but just fell short.

“If the unthinkable happens we’ll try to add some quality and some players that will help us bounce back. We’ve got to keep going and eek out performances.”

Speaking at the club’s pre-match press conference, Robins admitted that a number of his inherited squad have impressed him since coming in, helping City chalk up four wins out of five, including the memorable EFL Trophy final at Wembley Stadium.

“They have made significance progress in terms of games won, they’d won five all season when I first came in,” he said.

Read More

“So to win four out of five in all competitions shows that there is scope to do something with the squad.

“When I first came in and looked at what we’d got – who to keep hold of, who can earn the trust – they’ve knuckled down, concentrated and put in some pretty good performances.

“A lot of that is confidence and the winning of games, obviously the Wembley game. You’re always a work in progress but over the past four or five games I’m pleased that there has been a reaction and positive performances.”